63 Bible Verses about Shrewdness

Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be as wise as serpents and as harmless as doves.

And the unjust steward's lord commended him because he had done wisely. For the children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light. And I say to you, Make friends by the mammon of unrighteousness for yourselves, so that when you fail, they may receive you into everlasting dwellings.

And He also said to His disciples, There was a certain rich man who had a steward. And he was accused to him, that he had wasted his goods. And he called him and said to him, What is this I hear about you? Give an account of your stewardship, for you may no longer be steward. And the steward said within himself, What shall I do? For my lord is taking the stewardship away from me. I cannot dig; I am ashamed to beg.read more.
I know what I will do, so that when I am put out of the stewardship they may receive me into their houses. So he called every one of his lord's debtors and said; to the first, How much do you owe my lord? And he said, A hundred baths of oil. And he said to him, Take your bill and sit down quickly and write fifty. And he said to another, And how much do you owe? And he said, A hundred cors of wheat. And he said to him, Take your bill and write eighty.

Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on a rock. And the rain came down, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house. And it did not fall, for it was founded on a rock.

Whoever comes to Me and hears My Words, and does them, I will show you to whom he is like. He is like a man who built a house and dug deep and laid the foundation on a rock; and a flood occurring, the stream burst against that house and could not shake it; for it was founded on a rock.

A wise man conceals knowledge, but the heart of fools cries out foolishness.

The simple believes every word, but the wise man watches his step.

A fool despises his father's instruction, but he who listens to correction is wise.

The heart of the prudent gets knowledge, and the ear of the wise seeks knowledge.

Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his Lord has made ruler over His household, to give them food in due season? Blessed is that servant whom his Lord shall find him doing so when He comes. Truly I say to you that He shall make him ruler over all His goods.

And the Lord said, Who then is that faithful and wise steward whom his lord shall set over his houseservants, to give them their portion of food in season? Blessed is that servant when his lord comes and finds him so doing. Truly I say to you that he will set him over all his possessions.

But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, Why do you tempt Me, hypocrites? Show Me the tribute money. And they brought a denarius to Him. And He said to them, Whose image and inscription is this?read more.
They said to Him, Caesar's. Then He said to them, Therefore render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things which are God's. When they heard these words, they marveled, and they left Him and went away.

Shall we give, or shall we not give? But knowing their hypocrisy, He said to them, Why do you tempt Me? Bring me a denarius so that I may see. And they brought it. And He said to them, Whose image and inscription is this? And they said to Him, Caesar's. And answering Jesus said to them, Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's. And they marvelled at Him.

But He perceived their craftiness and said to them, Why do you tempt Me? Show Me a coin. Whose image and inscription does it have? They answered and said, Caesar's. And He said to them, Therefore render to Caesar the things which are Caesar's, and to God the things which are God's.read more.
And they could not take hold of His words before the people. And they marveled at His answer and were silent.

But regarding the resurrection of the dead, have you not read that which was spoken to you by God, saying, "I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob?" God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.

And as regards the dead, that they rise, have you not read in the book of Moses how God spoke to him in the Bush, saying, "I am the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob?" He is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living. Therefore you greatly err.

But that the dead are raised, even Moses pointed out at the Bush, when he called the Lord the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. For He is not God of the dead, but of the living. For all live to Him.

But as they continued to ask Him, He lifted Himself up and said to them, He who is without sin among you, let him cast the first stone at her.

Please go, make more sure, and know and see the place where his foot is. Who has seen him there? For I am told that he is very subtle. And see and know of all the hiding places where he hides himself there, and return to me prepared. And I will go with you. And it shall be, if he is in the land, I will search him out throughout all the thousands of Judah.

And Joab the son of Zeruiah saw that the king's heart was toward Absalom. And Joab sent to Tekoah and brought a wise woman from there. And he said to her, Please pretend yourself to be a mourner, and put on mourning clothes now, and do not anoint yourself with oil. But be like a woman who has mourned for the dead a long time. And come to the king, and speak in this way to him. And Joab put the words in her mouth.

And all Israel heard of the judgment which the king had judged. And they feared the king, for they saw that the wisdom of God was in him to do judgment.

And he dealt wisely and dispersed all his sons throughout all the lands of Judah and Benjamin, to all the fortified cities. And he gave them food in abundance. And he demanded many wives.

And Daniel said to Melzar, whom the chief of the eunuchs had set over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, I beg you, try your servants ten days. And let them give us vegetables to eat and water to drink. Then let our appearance be seen before you, and the appearance of the boys who eat of the king's food. And as you see, deal with your servants.

Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked by the wise men, was greatly enraged. And he sent and killed all the boys in Bethlehem, and in all its districts, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had carefully inquired of the wise men.

But Jesus said to her, Let the children first be filled. For it is not right to take the children's loaves and to throw it to the dogs. And she answered and said to Him, Yes, Lord, yet the dogs under the table eat of the children's crumbs. And He said to her, For this saying go, the demon has gone out of your daughter.

But He answered and said, It is not good to take the children's bread and to throw it to dogs. And she said, True, O Lord; but even the little dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters' tables. Then Jesus answered and said to her, O woman, great is your faith! So be it to you even as you wish. And her daughter was healed from that very hour.

They search out injustice, saying, We have finished hiding a hidden plot. Yea, the inward part of man and the heart are deep.

For your iniquity teaches your mouth, and you choose the tongue of the crafty.

They take shrewd counsel against Your people, and plot against Your hidden ones.

To the Chief Musician, A Psalm of David. Deliver me, O Jehovah, from the evil man; keep me from the violent man, who devised evil things in the heart; they are always gathered for war. They have sharpened their tongues like a serpent; adders' poison is under their lips. Selah.

And, behold, there a woman met him, with the dress of a harlot and a guarded heart.

and said, O son of the Devil, full of all deceit and all craftiness, enemy of all righteousness, will you not stop perverting the right ways of the Lord?

so that we no longer may be infants, tossed to and fro and carried about by every wind of doctrine, in the dishonesty of men, in cunning craftiness, to the wiles of deceit.

With the faithful You will show Yourself faithful; with the upright man You will show Yourself upright. With the pure You will show Yourself pure; and with the perverted You will appear perverse.

With the merciful, You will show Yourself merciful; with an upright man You will show Yourself upright; with the pure You will show Yourself pure; and with the crooked You will show Yourself perverse.

frustrating the plans of the crafty, nor did their hands do wisely. He takes the wise in their own craftiness; and the counsel of the wily is carried headlong.

Jehovah knows the thoughts of man, that they are vain.

A worthless person, a wicked man walks with a crooked mouth, winking with his eyes, speaking with his feet, teaching with his fingers; perversity is in his heart; he is always planning mischief; he causes fighting.read more.
Therefore his calamity shall come suddenly; he is quickly broken, and there is no healing.

The good gets grace from Jehovah, but He will condemn a man of wicked thoughts.

Woe to those wise in their own eyes, and bright in their own sight!

So says Jehovah, your Redeemer, and He who formed you from the womb, I am Jehovah who makes all things; who stretches out the heavens alone; who spreads out the earth; who was with Me? who brings to nothing the signs of the liars, and makes diviners mad; who turns the wise backward, and makes their knowledge foolish;

For it is written, "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and I will set aside the understanding of the perceiving ones."

therefore, behold, I will go on doing among this people, a wonder, even a wonder. For the wisdom of their wise ones shall perish, and the understanding of their intelligent ones shall be hidden.

For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God; for it is written, "He takes the wise in their own craftiness." And again, "The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain."

He who is soon angry acts foolishly, and a man of wicked plots is hated.

The north wind drives away rain; so does an angry face a backbiting tongue.

But I fear lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve in his craftiness, so your thoughts should be corrupted from the simplicity due to Christ.

Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which Jehovah God had made. And he said to the woman, Is it so that God has said, You shall not eat of every tree of the garden?

so that we should not be overreached by Satan, for we are not ignorant of his devices.

For such ones are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. Did not even Satan marvelously transform himself into an angel of light? Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves as ministers of righteousness, whose end shall be according to their works.

Then the Pharisees left and took counsel that they might entangle Him in words. And they sent their disciples out to Him along with the Herodians, saying, Master, we know that you are true, and that you teach the way of God in truth. Nor do you care for anyone, for you do not regard the person of men. Therefore tell us; what do you think? Is it lawful to give tribute to Caesar or not?

And they sent certain of the Pharisees and of the Herodians to Him, to catch Him in His words. And coming, they said to Him, Teacher, we know that you are true and you care about no one. For you do not look to the face of men, but teach the way of God in truth. Is it lawful to give tribute to Caesar, or not? Shall we give, or shall we not give? But knowing their hypocrisy, He said to them, Why do you tempt Me? Bring me a denarius so that I may see.

And they watched and sent forth spies, pretending themselves to be righteous men, so that they might seize upon a word of His, that they might deliver Him in this way to the power and authority of the governor. And they asked Him, saying, Teacher, we know that you say and teach rightly, and do not accept the person of anyone, but truly teach the way of God. Is it lawful for us to give tribute to Caesar or not?

Then the chief priests, and the scribes, and the elders of the people, assembled together to the palace of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas. And they consulted so that they might take Jesus by guile and kill Him.

And after two days it was the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread. And the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might take Him by craft and kill Him. But they said, Not during the Feast, lest there be an uproar of the people.

And the Feast of Unleavened Bread, which is called the Passover, drew near. And the chief priests and scribes sought how they might kill Him, for they feared the people.

And Jacob said, Sell me your birthright today. And Esau said, Behold, I am at the point of dying, and what profit shall this birthright be to me? And Jacob said, Swear to me this day. And he swore to him, and he sold his birthright to Jacob.

And Rebekah took the clothes of her older son Esau, the costly ones which were with her in the house, and put them on Jacob her younger son. And she put the skins from the kids of the goats on his hands, and on the smooth of his neck.

Come, let us deal slyly with them, lest they multiply, and it will be when there comes a war, they join also to our enemies, and fight against us, and get out of the land.

And when those who lived in Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and to Ai, they worked slyly. For they came and acted as if they were ambassadors. And they took old sacks on their asses, and old and torn and bound up wineskins, and old and patched sandals on their feet, and old clothes on them. And all the bread they had taken was dry and moldy.read more.
And they went to Joshua to the camp at Gilgal, and said to him and to the men of Israel, We have come from a far country. Now therefore, make a treaty with us.

And Amnon had a friend, whose name was Jonadab, the son of David's brother Shimeah. And Jonadab was a very crafty man.

Sanballat and Geshem sent to me, saying, Come, let us meet together in the villages in the plain of Ono. But they thought to do me harm. And I sent messengers to them, saying, I am doing a great work, so I cannot come down. Why should the work cease while I leave it and come down to you? And they sent to me four times in this way. And I answered them in the same way.read more.
Then Sanballat sent his servant to me in the same way the fifth time with an open letter in his hand, in which was written, It is reported among the nations, and Gashmu says it, that you and the Jews are thinking of rebelling, for this reason you build the wall, so that you may be their king, according to these words. And you have also set up prophets to preach about you at Jerusalem, saying, There is a king in Judah. And now it shall be reported to the king according to these words. And now come and let us talk it over together. And I sent to him saying, These things which you are saying are not happening, but you pretend them out of your own heart. For they all were alarmers of us, saying, Their hands shall be weakened from the work so that it may not be done. And now, O God, make my hands strong. And I came to the house of Shemaiah the son of Delaiah the son of Mehetabeel, who was shut up. And he said, Let us meet together in the house of God, inside the temple, and let us shut the doors of the temple. For they will come to kill you. Yea, in the night they will come to kill you. And I said, Should such a man as I flee? And who, being as I am, would go into the temple to save his life? I will not go in. And, behold, I understood that God had not sent him, but that he said this prophecy against me because Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him. Therefore he was hired that I should be afraid, and do so, and I should sin, and be for them an evil name, with which they might reproach me.

But let it be so, I did not burden you. But being crafty, I caught you with bait.